Why you Must Subscribe to The American Bystander Print Humor Magazine

SUBSCRIBE ASAP and share. The writers and illustrators are insanely talented.

The American Bystander is an all-star print humor magazine in trade paperback book format, publishing work from the greatest agglomeration in the history of print comedy, people from The Simpsons, Monty Python, National Lampoon, SNL, The New Yorker, SPY, Letterman…

Reaction to our first three issues has been incredible. The New York Times called us “essential reading for comedy nerds,” and Newsweek called us “the last great humor magazine.” Our crowdfunding campaigns have raised $140,000. For over a year, people have been asking to subscribe.

Every time we do an issue, subscribers will automatically receive a brand new Bystander at a discounted rate (and the more subscribers we get, the bigger the discount, so spread the word!). Subscribers at the $5 level will be charged $5, and receive a PDF; subscribers at the $20 level will receive a print copy. You won’t have to respond by a certain date, back a Kickstarter, or do anything but subscribe this once. And of course, you can opt-out at any time.

Subscribers at higher levels will receive all sorts of additional goodies.

The hardest and most time-consuming part of Bystander is the crowdfunding — but since we’re determined to pay our contributors, I have to raise the money somehow. Subscriptions are the quickest route for us to do a lot more issues. And I’m receiving a flood of work from the most distinguished writers and cartoonists from all over the world, enough to fill many issues. If you want to get new work from people like Roz Chast, Jack Handey, Brian McConnachie, and Merrill Markoe delivered directly to your in-box, subscribe and tell your friends!

My goal is to gather as many people as possible, and charge them as little as possible — that way, Bystander will become the fearless and unkillable print humor magazine that the United States needs. Subscriptions are the only way for us to avoid being held hostage by advertisers, distributors, or political pressure.

My cousin Dorian Katz is a brilliant artist who focuses on sex positive art and in this exhibit, gender constructs. The exhibit is at the Center for Sex & Culture in San Francisco. Please read below and go.

ABOUT Art Practice makes Art Pervert is a solo exhibition of Bay Area-based artist Dorian Katz curated by Dorothy R. Santos. Her drawing series “120 Days of Sodomy” appropriates the Marquis de Sade’s book title 120 Days of Sodom. While Katz’s non-human beings don recognizable human characteristics, they are playful, whimsical, and sometimes political hybrids and chimeras. The artist imagines a sex utopia that ponders what it would be like if humans were socialized like other species such as the bonobo monkey. The non-tentative, bold line work mirrors the way her creatures live and exist in the world. It’s as if the lines from Hans Bellmer crossed paths with Robert Crumb’s and made lush new creatures far more telling of human sex and sexuality than their originators. The artist long standing alter ego Poppers the Pony makes fantastical visits into parts of the series. The drawings push against gender constructs and binary structures. Each piece works towards understanding gender non-conforming beings through vibrant characters engaging in extreme sex acts, uninhibited gender liberation, and sexual freedom. http://qcc2.org/practisemakesart/

The first issue of The American Bystander, a new print-only humor magazine, began with a letter from the publisher predicting failure. “This is willfully re-launching the Titanic,” Michael Gerber wrote last fall, “knowing full well it will sink.”

“The only gesture is to believe. Or not. Sometimes believe even while crying.”
Willie Colón, after the original by Chico Buarque.

Those of us who lived in a Venezuela that the new generation never knew are crying with them because in addition to the nightmare those young men and women are courageously protesting, our generation -including my parents’- lived in and enjoyed a Venezuela that was truly resplendent.

Was it perfect? Of course not. A paradise? In many ways, yes. Simply because despite all of its aspects in need of betterment, there was something particularly remarkable about Venezuelans: a certain effervescence, a natural disposition to be enterprising. It was the constant joy of having been born and grown up in a country blessed with so many natural resources and a mixture of people’s who truly cherished those blessings. But above all, a past of legitimate heroes who indefatigably fought to forge a nation whose potential equaled its divine gifts.

Every citizen had the right to embrace any political affiliation that reflects his or her ideals. But the time has come to be clear about something that can no longer be denied: the “revolution” that crept up on Venezuela in 1999 was not an exaltation to unite and work hard to repair the flaws and create a better country. On the contrary, if it had to be distilled in a few words, that “revolution” was a self-serving and blackmailed mandate to HATE.

I’ve spent years trying to objectively discern the intentions of Hugo Chavez. And sometimes I have even entertained the possibility that “perhaps” his vision was not without valid ideas and measures to realize his ideal of the “Bolivarian Republic”, which sadly continues to unfold as a disaster in which HATE is king and which, among other things, does not cease to claim thousands of victims. And I am not only referring to the more than 24,000 who have perished due to the outrageous and rampant violence that has festered in the last few years.

The obvious wound, what is categorically undeniable, is that a revolution initiated by a leader with presumed invigorating intentions continues to reveal itself as a corrupt, cruel and systematic perpetration against its own people.

There are volumes of proof attesting to that corruption. Every week the media sheds light on the gains benefiting the scoundrels in the high spheres of power. Whenever they have the audacity to appear on TV, one has to desperately try to not be dismayed by such display of ignorance and callous arrogance.

The video clips that have circulated on the Internet since February 12 attest to the vicious and hateful cruelty perpetrated by the armed forces who, if it’s true that their duty is to safeguard order and peace, have nonetheless revealed themselves as peons with no morals and, consequently, assassins for hire.

Starting in 1999, we Venezuelans have systematically subjected to a form of terrorism. The fanfare and long speeches promising change were followed by hypnosis and, shortly after, a limbo in which we remained suspended until eventually we all lost faith.
HATE won because it succeeded at that and much more.

We have been gradually programmed to embrace HATE. To hate the rich, the United States, the “foreigners” who fought in and for Venezuela, the Venezuelans living abroad, anyone who was an independent or with the opposition, anyone who was not Chavista and, lately, the young students who organized to pacifically demonstrate against a totalitarian regime supported by malevolent alliances which continues to rob Venezuelans of their dignity and well being and feeds on their blood and tears.

This is the moment for all of us to embrace the gesture of believing, just like those young men and women did. For in embracing it they tapped into their indomitable spirit and a bravery that have to bear fruits. I don’t have enough applause for them in my hands. But I fervently believe in them. And I will continue to believe in them, even if I fear and regret that often I will be doing so while crying.

My pal, writer, producer and all around genius, Bill Grundfest is opening the dream school for kids. If you are looking at schools, give this one a peek and contact Bill to schedule a meeting.

FROM BILL

We’re looking a few other parents with kids going into grades 2,3,4 to immediately start a tiny fun private school in West LA (we have a location) with 7-10 kids in a class, very low tuition (around $7,000!) and patient, credentialed, rock star teachers that let the kids’ curiosity lead the learning (we have the teachers too! just need to add kids and stir!). Imagine picking up non-anxious, non-depressed kids who love learning!
Starts mid September.

We had a great meeting with the heads of Prestique Academy, who’d be running this, and may have the first 4 kids. Another parent meeting coming up.

If you know anyone who might wanna know about this, please contact me.